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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494651">Boys and Basketball</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzmonkey/pseuds/jazzmonkey'>jazzmonkey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It's a Boy Girl Thing [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Female Kise Ryouta, First Love, Gen, Genderbending, Genderswap, Hero Worship, In a sense, Infatuation, Little Sisters, Minor Injuries, Model Kise Ryouta, No abuse, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers, Unhealthy Relationships, but its not healthy, fem!Kise - Freeform, friendship over love, i guess but it's been years so is it really?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:13:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzmonkey/pseuds/jazzmonkey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kise Ryouta is a girl born under a lucky star, with a life most people dream of. Then she gets hit in the head with a basketball, and her world shifts. She meets boys that change her life forever, and she hopes they never leave her.</p><p>Or,</p><p>Five boys Kise Ryouta fell in love with, and the five times they broke her heart (+1 boy that helps her find love again).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akashi Seijuurou &amp; Kise Ryouta, Aomine Daiki &amp; Kise Ryouta, Kagami Taiga &amp; Kise Ryouta, Kise Ryouta &amp; Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles, Kise Ryouta &amp; Kuroko Tetsuya, Kise Ryouta &amp; Midorima Shintarou, Kise Ryouta &amp; Momoi Satsuki, Kise Ryouta &amp; Murasakibara Atsushi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It's a Boy Girl Thing [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Midorima</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>She's never thought of herself as foolish before this, but it's funny how quickly she loves him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just in case you missed it, Kise was born a girl. Most everything else is the same, except her personality will be a little less carefree internally as she has to work harder to prove herself to a male oriented sport. Outward, she'll appear the same as canon.</p><p>I’m pretty sure Kise is older than Midorima, and Midorima seems the type to use honorifics with the opposing sex (but I can’t be sure), so I went with “Kise-san”.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Midorima was the first boy who looked at her like she wasn’t a doll. </p><p>To be fair, it was because he saw her as an idiot first and person second, and in all reality, he may have been a robot (she would find proof one day, she swore), but it was still refreshing. He was uptight, but he let her snuggle his lucky items if they were soft, and he let her watch him practice his full court throws. When everyone else looked down on her, even all the other boys on the first string, he had handed her a ball, looked her right in the eye, and told her she had to earn her spot, same as everyone else. He had emphasized the word same, and then glared at the boys staring at her legs and snickering behind her. And when she had proved worthy, he welcomed her with the same strict rules he imposed on everyone.</p><p>He rarely let her speak to him during lunches because he said she dragged too much attention to him and it was annoying to have to speak to classmates when he could be studying or practicing shogi; but when she had wanted to play him, he had been patient and told her when she had better options she wasn’t taking.</p><p>After a grueling practice session where Akashi found out she was on the verge of failing more than one class, she followed him home. She was quiet, hoping he wasn’t too angry about having to tutor her; noone said no to Akashi after all. </p><p>She had hoped to outlast him by going through her post shower routine slowly. He was too proper to bang on the door, so if she took long enough, maybe he would leave like he sometimes did when everyone was being slow. He was more afraid of Akashi and smarter than her though, so he had made Aomine yell at her to hurry up before they left her and got food without her. She completely forgot why she was taking her time, rushed to put away her tools, and exited with a hurried, “Wait for me!” to instead find Midorima waiting.</p><p>He held her wrist as he pulled her, ensuring she couldn’t escape. It was late enough that there weren’t many people their age on the streets, but one or two had definitely taken pictures of the two of them. She would have to remember to tell her manager so she would know ahead of time.</p><p>When they entered his house, his mother answered from the kitchen. He led her through his home.</p><p>“Who is this?” his mother, a beautiful woman with long hair and long lashes that matched her son’s, asked, “A girl? Shintarou, I expect better from you. You didn’t tell me we were having a guest.”</p><p>“She’s a classmate and teammate mother. She needed help with schoolwork so she is able to continue playing with us.”</p><p>His mother cocked an eyebrow, and she suddenly remembered her loose hair and necktie and untucked shirt. Which all looked great in photos, but now she desperately wished she had thought to straighten up before entering.</p><p>“You’re the new girl on the team. Shinatarou’s sister has mentioned a rather pretty girl was on the court before,” she looked at her son, “You didn’t tell me she was so beautiful.”</p><p>“Mother,” and Ryouta was delighted to see the beginnings of a blush on his face, “she’s a teammate. I’m helping her, that’s all. And my sister,” the girl in question squeaked from behind the open doorway she was hiding in, “should know better than to gossip about my classmates, as it’s unladylike.”</p><p>“Oh,” Ryouta intervened, “she’s harmless Midorimacchi! I’m honored to know you think I’m pretty! I thought you were beautiful when you came by the school.”</p><p>His sister peeked shly from the door, and grinned at her, “Really?”</p><p>She nodded, “Yes, really.”</p><p>“Well, we should go study,” Midorima steered her towards a small den just off the kitchen. His sister followed.</p><p>Ryouta looked around curiously as she took her bag off.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Nothing, I just expected anywhere you studied to be filled with books and paper.”</p><p>Midorima gave her a withering glare, “I study in my room. It wouldn’t be proper to be alone with you up there. I don’t want you to disturb my things. I know what you’re like.” He then settled in, and despite her pout (which had gotten her out of trouble and into whatever she wanted), forced her to focus.</p><p>As he tortured her with flashcards and essay composition for the next hour and a half, she glanced up to see him occasionally pass a marker or crayon to his sister. The little girl was drawing a picture of the three of them, and she realized with a start that Midorima chose to study here not because he didn’t trust her, but because he knew his sister wanted to be included.</p><p>It made her robot theory feel a bit less likely. It also made her feel warm and soften. Before long, it was fully dark out, and she needed to get home.</p><p>“Thank you auntie, for letting me study here. Midorimacchi is the smartest and he’s really helped me.”</p><p>“Do you have to leave?” a small tug on her skirt made her look down.</p><p>She knelt down next to Midorima’s sister, “Yes, I need to go home. But, next time, I could come play dress up with you if you wanted?” she asked. She knew full well that Midorima was probably going into apoplexy behind her for essentially inserting herself into his home without permission, but this little girl was the cutest thing she had ever seen.</p><p>And she now knew that Midorima was also going to say yes if it made his sister happy.</p><p>“Yes, please!”</p><p>“Then, it’s a promise, as long as your brother invites me back.”</p><p>“Nii-chan, invite her back soon!” the little girl demanded.</p><p>“We’ll see. Kise-san is very busy, she also has work.”</p><p>Pouting, but accepting the answer, she hugged Ryouta tightly and gave her the picture she had worked on. Kise beamed at her, returned her hug just as tight, and waved goodbye until the door closed and she could no longer see the house window.</p><p>“Hurry up,” he stated, “I still need to return home and look for tomorrow’s lucky item.”</p><p>He went with her to the station, onto the train, and didn’t let her walk off on her own until she reached her front gate. It would take him another 20 minutes to get home, and she felt so horrible for taking up that much of his time that he so carefully portioned out. Still, it didn’t stop her from looking at him, peering up through her lashes, and suggesting coyly, “Would you like to come in? It’s getting late, you could stay over?”, just to watch his face get red and see his shoulder hike up to his ears.</p><p>So, he definitely wasn’t part robot then.</p><p>He yelled at her about propriety for two full minutes without taking a breath. She burst into giggles and wiped away a tear forming in the corner of her right eye.</p><p>“I was just joking, but I’m glad to see some boys learned their manners. Thank you Midorimacchi, for tutoring me, and for walking me home. I’m sorry you had to go out of your way!”</p><p>“It’s only right. It was dark by the time we finished, it would have been dangerous for someone as airheaded as you to be out on your own.”</p><p>“Mean!” she huffed. She put her hand on the gate and pushed it open. “Good night Midorimacchi, tell me when you get home?” she asked.</p><p>“I will. Now go inside.”</p><p>She felt him watch her open the door and close it behind her. Throwing out a hello and hearing her mother from the kitchen, she rushed upstairs. She ran into her sister’s old room and turned on the lights and went to the window.</p><p>In the dark night, just out of reach of the lamps, she watched Midorima’s back getting smaller and smaller. She had never felt safer.</p><p>This boy, who insulted her intelligence and often scolded her for unladylike behavior, had let his sister play with his lucky pencils and scribble while they studied, had moved to an open area for their comfort rather than his, had walked her home when he didn’t have to (when most boys their age wouldn’t have thought to), and even watched to make sure she made it in. </p><p>She crossed off her robot theory about Midorima in her head, and replaced it with all the new information she had about him. </p><p>The next morning, she latched onto him until he started screaming at her, and pretended like they had done something romantic when nothing had happened. She let the team think Midorima had done something none of the rest of them had been able to achieve. It made him immensely popular for two whole weeks.</p><p>He would never let her interfere with his life, but he still asked her a week later if she was free to play with his sister, though he covered it with, “you should honor your promise to her, I don’t want her to think it’s alright to say things meaninglessly.”</p><p>She said yes, half to see that adorable girl again, half because now she wanted to know more about him. As his sister played with her hair, brushing and clipping barrettes in, she looked over at Midorima, carefully plating cookies onto his sister’s toy plates. She knew he was never going to look at her. She wasn’t book smart, too blond, too over the top. He was smart, he was going to be a doctor, and still be as confident in himself as he was now. So instead of trying to woo him like she was wont to do, she sat next to him, and hugged his lucky items, trying to get over what she told herself wasn’t first love.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I realize Midorima wouldn’t want to be popular, but Kise is 12/13 and a little self absorbed and spoiled. While she is insightful sometimes, she largely assumes that all people want to be as extroverted as her; so when she makes Midorima popular, she thinks she’s helping him make friends. She doesn’t understand that he’s an introvert by nature.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Murasakibara</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes love is found in the smallest of actions and the weirdest of people.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was so hard to write, Murasakibara and Kise don’t interact. They’re also so different in every aspect of their personalities. Geez. Hope you all like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She doesn’t pay attention to Murasakibara if she’s being honest. He’s insanely tall, and incredibly talented when he can be damned to care, but he’s pretty unemotional. He doesn’t respond to her texts and the only way to ever get a reaction out of him is to bribe him with food.</p><p>But, on the upside, he also didn’t care when she joined the team, which is more than she can say for a lot of the other boys. Like Midorima, he didn’t question her ability or feel the need to find men who could vouch for her.</p><p>Months after she joined the team, and after she made first string, she tried to make friends with him by buying him all the popsicles in the convenience store. That friendship lasted a total of three days, and she’s not entirely sure it was even that long, considering he looked at her, blinked, then asked Akashi who she was. When she squawked at him in offense, his defense was solely that she was small and underfoot.</p><p>She is a model, plastered on magazine pages and even one storefront poster. She resigns herself to just not being good friends with him and focuses on beating Aomine. She doesn’t expect him to change. He eats all the confession chocolate she doesn’t want, and she uses his size without him knowing to intimidate people who won’t leave her alone. He passes her the ball on the court, and that’s enough for her.</p><p>Then once, she twists her ankle and tries to keep playing. She doesn’t want to give them a reason to doubt her. She has to work twice as hard to get half the credit after all. She’s a professional, so she keeps her face smooth despite the throb and continues. She sees Kuroko and Satsuki give her concerned looks, but neither says anything.</p><p>She takes advantage of the fact that the guys all think they have a chance now and makes the layup, landing hard on the hurt leg. She intakes breath quickly, then realizes it was more audible than she had hoped. She swivels on the other leg to smile at everyone, convince them she’s fine when an enormous shadow darkens her line of sight.<br/>
She turns back and just barely misses Murasakibara with her elbow. He takes one unimpressed look at her and says nothing. The basketball is still bouncing after going through the basket, and it’s the only sound in the gym. He doesn’t say anything, so she feigns ignorance and goes to pick the basketball up, only for his humongous hand (she can fit both her palms in his, she’s tried) to reach overhand and toss it away from her.</p><p>She is so startled at the action that she screams when he picks her up. The sudden height change makes her dizzy and she has to close her eyes. When she opens them, she sees the entire gym is still silent and watching. </p><p>“Murasakibaracchi, please put me down right now.”</p><p>Soundlessly, he looks at Akashi, who nods at him with a smirk on his face, and then turns and marches right out of the gym. With everyone still watching.</p><p>They get to the closed door of the infirmary, and without any thought, shifts her like she’s a baby into one arm and uses the other to roughly slide open the door.</p><p>This is the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to her. </p><p>He drops her onto the bed, and gets the nurse. While the nurse wraps up her ankle and makes tsking sounds at the bruises on her feet and the calluses on her fingers, murmuring under her breath about being too hard on girls, Murasakibara leaves. </p><p>It’s fine, she’s heard it all before, it’s not like she needs someone there to hold her hand when someone says something dismissive. </p><p>She makes to hop off the bed when the nurse is done to leave, but before she can get to her shoe, it slides open and the giant walks back in. Ryouta laughs when she realizes he has to duck his head under the doorway to fit. He then drops an armful of chocolate onto the bed she is occupying.</p><p>“For Kise-chin.”</p><p>She looks at the nurse, who looks at her, and then busies herself with paper on the desk, as if to say, <i>this is not my problem, I’m not here, do not ask me</i>. She turns and stares at Murasakibara, unsure how to ask, <i>what the hell are you doing in a polite way.</i></p><p>He stares back at her. He blinks slowly. She twitches a little, and she can hear the clock ticking by the seconds in the dead silence.</p><p>“...Thank...you?” her voice lilts up at the end, still trying to convey the mass confusion she’s feeling.</p><p>“Food makes you feel better. You like cherry chocolate, so eat it.”</p><p>She never knew he paid attention to what she was giving him. It was true though. She liked dark chocolate and cherry chocolate, so she often kept those for herself if offered. After she takes two of the chocolate boxes, tells him he can have the rest.</p><p>He frowns, “Aka-chin says the more you eat, the faster you get better.”</p><p>“That’s true for you, but I’m a model. I have to watch what I eat carefully.”</p><p>“Aka-chin’s never wrong.”</p><p>She smiles at his childish nature. “He’s right, for you. Ask him if you would like. I need to watch what I eat.”</p><p>He helps her back to the gym, and makes her wait while he actually does ask Akashi, and frowns when he agrees that she’s right. </p><p>“You get to keep the candy for yourself Murasakibaracchi,” she reminds him. She watches him smile, and even the small tilt up brightens up his face immensely.</p><p>She thinks that’s the turning point in their friendship. He still doesn’t pay attention to her, and he’s just as unwilling to let her hang around him during class breaks as Midorima, but occasionally he can be sweet. After that, sometimes he’ll let her eat a chip out of his bag or a chocolate from his stash when she’s not feeling well.</p><p>It’s not a lot, but it’s progress. Slowly, they reach a point where she can hug him and lean on him in the mornings when Akashi calls them for early practice. He runs warm, and he eventually lets her sit as close as she can since most of her clothes lean towards style over comfort. She once catches him in a really good mood after Akashi had praised him, and he gives her a piggyback to the convenience store after practice.</p><p>Midorima calls her a child. When they get to the store, Aomine complains it’s not fair he has to walk and tries to jump on them both, causing Murasakibara to drop her so he can protect his snacks. Her butt hurts for a day after, but it’s worth it.</p><p>She learns to like him in spite of his quirks, and then even begins to love him because of them. But then, one day during practice, after Aomine had stopped showing up and Akashi was no longer speaking to them outside of basketball, Murasakibara tries to revolt.</p><p>She watches as he turns on his beloved Akashi and remembers the first time she met him. When she thought he was more monster than man because he never said a word, just ate and acted when Akashi led him. But she loved him because she learned better.</p><p>She says nothing when he leaves after he loses against their captain, and as she’s walking silently in his shadow, she thinks of how it felt being carried by him. How tall and unstoppable she was that high up, her legs dangling off the ground.</p><p>How hard she fell when he let go.</p><p>When she’s in high school, and the Generation of Miracles is just a phrase she hears and no longer feels pride in, she thinks about when she really knew she didn’t love him anymore. It wasn’t Aomine’s apathy or Midorima’s rudeness, but when Murasakibara’s faith in his friend shattered and took her with it.</p><p>It was just as easy to fall out of love with him as it was to fall in love with him when she realized how easily he could leave them all behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kise, again, is pretty young. Love at that age is intense and easily mistaken. It may not seem it, but from her perspective, Murasakibara broke something that, at the time, can never be fixed (though as readers, we know that’s not true).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Akashi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>She swears loyalty to this boy, not knowing she can never take it back.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I always thought it was interesting that Kise was apathetic before basketball and then returned to that state following Teiko. It’s never touched on, but I think it’s important that Kise would have tried to fight it, not wanting to feel that bored again.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Kise is a princess, Akashi is a king. He’s rich, regal, and always prepared.</p>
<p>He’s also attractive. She’s not blind. She knows she’s surrounded by five very attractive boys.Akashi specifically has quite a fan club in school though. Not as big as hers, but there are many girls waiting around his towel and water bottle during practice hoping to catch his eye. Many of them are her friends, gushing over his eyes and his face and his polite charm.</p>
<p>But, he’s too smart. Where Midorima can be gently prodded into doing things, Akashi requires much more planned out interactions and high level manipulation. It’s a lot of work. She knows she got lucky making it on the team because some ass tried to challenge her. It worked out in her favor and she’s well aware she’ll probably never get something over Akashi again.</p>
<p>With Nijimura-senpai around, he’s manageable though. Nijimura-senpai is one of the few people that Akashi seems to respect, and it’s honestly a little cute to see him be authoritative and then look to the older boy for silent approval.</p>
<p>After she does prove herself, she sees a different side to him. He’s a good captain. He takes on a lot, being the same age as them, and leading the team can’t be easy, especially with all the weirdos on first string. She’s aware enough to know she probably doesn’t help by being the wrong gender and having a full time job to work around.</p>
<p>Kise learns to tolerate him and respect him. And over time, he becomes an important part of her life. He helps plan her day out, balancing modelling jobs with school, practice and games. He makes sure she’s healthy and that she eats and sleeps. He introduces her to Momoi to help get down the finer points of basketball.</p>
<p>And she can’t prove it, but she’s pretty sure he’s responsible for three boys on the team transferring schools after they tried to peep on her changing after practice.</p>
<p>So, overall, she likes him. </p>
<p>Then, after Nijimura has to transfer schools, he kicks Haizaki off the team. Nijimura’s Haizaki. The boy who is just as good as she is, and who she’s never been able to beat. Akashi does what he wants on a good day, but the idea of him kicking off someone who is objectively better than her, and someone vouched for by the only person he truly respects, is an overwhelming sensation.</p>
<p>She asks, demands really, to know why he would do something like that. Why someone who relies so heavily on logic would take on the harder, worse option. He smiles at her (and it’s the first time she realizes she may be out of her depth, playing the game with someone who smiles like this), and simply replies with, “You’re going to be better than him. You’ve got potential.”</p>
<p>The trust she feels instantaneous. This short boy truly believes in her. Thinks that she has what it takes to play on this stage, with these prodigies, and that she will win alongside them.</p>
<p>She doesn’t bow out of overwhelming gratitude to him, but it’s a close thing.</p>
<p>After that, she feels solid. Her place in this strange group of boys is cemented. Akashi ensured that she can play from the coach, from the school. He gets her special accommodations at games and lets her leave for her job. He even gives her a set of keys to lock up when she and Aomine stay late to play one-on-ones (even if he does make her prove to Momoi once a week she still has it).</p>
<p>He treats them to food for a job well done, and will laugh and tease right alongside the others. Akashi, Ryouta carefully thinks, is actually like the prince her friends say. He doesn’t stop either. He’s just as kind to Momoi as he is to them, and believes in the two of them just as strongly as he believes in the boys on this team. He lets her stand up for herself and helps when she needs it.</p>
<p>Akashi gets the boys to listen to her, and he replies to her texts in clear, full answers. He’s up to date on her life like Momoi is and he stops the really crude rumors the other teams will ask about.</p>
<p>He’s pretty great. He asks no more and no less of her than everyone else. She was wary, but he proves himself to her. He’s a good guy, even if he does have a bit of a height complex (she’s noticed he really doesn’t like when she wears anything other than flats when they all meet up).</p>
<p>The summer between second and third year, she spends her life surrounded by these wonderful weirdos. They play basketball, go to movies, out to eat. She and Momoi even gets them to go to the beach once or twice. Akashi helps them convince everyone.</p>
<p>She’s never experienced friendship like this before. People are usually friends with her because she’s pretty, she’s talented, they want something from her. The girls she usually spends time with are school only friends, people that are great to have around, but nothing she expects to last. The last time she had friends over to her home was when she was eight, right before her first modelling job.</p>
<p>Akashi gave her that. Gave her these people that make her laugh, that she can show her real, spoiled self without worry. She spends that summer high on fame, laughing when the boys get surprised by people who recognize them. She spends a week teaching them how to act around fans, crying and clutching her stomach at their antics the entire time.</p>
<p>That summer, she’s sure they’ll be friends forever. That she will look back one day and see them waiting for her, that Akashi will reach out his hand, pretending to be serious but hiding a smile, and help her through life.</p>
<p>She’s still sure of it when third year starts and they are no longer people. They are miracles. They are performers on a stage, and everyone is waiting for them to make a mistake. But, they don’t.</p>
<p>And then she starts to see the same look on their faces that she used to see in the mirror. She sees it on Akashi’s face, his expression growing sharper and sharper, his words more clipped and demanding.</p>
<p>She clings to them and Kuroko and Momoi, knowing what the apathy leads to. They helped her find something she really loves, and she doesn’t want to lose them to this. But before she can make much progress, try to practice longer, harder, more, Akashi changes.</p>
<p>He calls her Ryouta. </p>
<p>She feels chills up her spine when he does it, slow and authoritative. He pins her with his eyes, eyes that don’t look the same color they did before.</p>
<p>He changes practice. Everyone’s there, except for Aomine, but it’s like watching ghosts. She sees herself from first year in their actions, uncaring and ruthless. Bored.</p>
<p>Kise needs space, so she makes her manager book a week long contract. Something that takes her away from the gym for a bit, so she can make her next move. On the third day, her manager calls and tells her the photographer wanted to go a different route. It happens sometimes.</p>
<p>She waffles between going home and going to the gym, and ultimately, thinking about Kuroko and Momoi there makes the decision for her. As she enters, she sees Akashi smile at her, and nod. </p>
<p>There’s nothing threatening about it, but it’s too smooth. Too self assured. He’s not surprised to see her, even though he knows she has a modelling job. Then, in the changing room, she closes her eyes and sits when she understands.</p>
<p>She gave him everything he needed to make sure she made basketball a priority. He has her manager’s number, contact information for her modelling jobs, her day to day schedule from the moment she’s awake to when her head hits the pillow.</p>
<p>He’s smart, and she gave him everything he needs to plan out her life for her.</p>
<p>That night, she thinks about quitting. She’s done it before. She’s walked away from friends, teams, and people she was supposed to support, and managed to keep moving. She can do it again.</p>
<p>She doesn’t want to go back to being that girl again, bored and apathetic to the world, and she knows that’s what will happen here. But again, she thinks of Momoi and Kuroko, both of whom have lost Aomine already. She’s done it before, but she’s not that girl; she’s not sure she can do it to them. Lose them without trying to help them.</p>
<p>When Murasakibara rebels against him, a part of her agrees, the tiniest bit scared of the redhead. But more of her is angry at him, for trying to destroy the last of what Akashi is holding onto.</p>
<p>Akashi gave her these boys. And as much as it hurts, him changing and demanding and terrifying her, he’s also the only thing keeping them together. So, she takes Akashi’s side. She goes to practice, day after day, feeling herself losing everything she’s come to love in the past year. She sees herself act horrible and feels Akashi’s stare on her, approving.</p>
<p>She tells herself that she’ll apply to Kuroko’s school, or Momoi’s. She’ll keep one of them, if she can’t have them all. Then that game happens, and Akashi’s approval when she makes that horrible suggestion makes her pleased rather than horrified.</p>
<p>Kuroko disappears. And she thinks to herself, <i>He did what you couldn’t. He got himself out, because he cared enough to try. You haven’t changed at all.</i></p>
<p>Akashi tells them to go to different schools, and she runs to Kaijo. She tells herself it’s not because of the short, angry captain, but she’s a bad liar. He reminds her a little bit of Akashi, when he was the boy who fought for her.</p>
<p>Akashi calls them to meet on the steps before the games begin. She sees him standing there, his jacket like a cape on his shoulders. His eyes pierce her, and the shiver slithers up her spine when he calls her Ryouta. </p>
<p>She stands there, on his side of the invisible line when Kagami yells at him, and says nothing when the near stabbing occurs. She thinks about how the teams they ruined called them demons, miracles hiding claws and fangs. </p>
<p>She feels Akashi stare at her as she walks away, and she imagines him like he was in second year, young and princely, charming his way through the girls that came to watch practice, laughing at her crocodile tears, and at Midorima’s expression on the beach when her and Momoi came out in swimsuits.</p>
<p>She hates this pedestal she’s returned to, but she hates Akashi more for pulling her back up here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Obviously this is a one-sided perspective. Kise could have walked away from the team. But because she wants to try and do things differently than before, and her loyalty to Akashi, she ultimately leads herself right back to how she acted before she found basketball, and she knows it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Kuroko</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They love each other, she's sure of it. Now she just has to make him understand it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: Unhealthy relationship behavior. Do not do this to others.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Unlike with Midorima and Murasakibara, she knows when she begins to fall in love with Kuroko, and she knows it’s the stupidest thing she’s ever done.</p><p>The summer between Teiko and Kaijou, she’s determined to have a good time. Last summer, she was constantly surrounded by the other miracles whenever she wasn’t at a shoot. She spent days at basketball courts and diners, arguing over fouls and fries. </p><p>She won’t let herself be dragged down by nostalgia, so she gets herself ready and heads out for the day. There’s a sale at the shopping center, and if she sees something Momoi will like, then, it’s only fair that she stop by and drop it off to her.</p><p>She’s passing the ice cream store the team used to stop at if the convenience store was out of their favorite flavors. She looks in out of habit, and stops in her tracks. Kuroko is sitting in the window, sipping on what has to be a vanilla shake. She stares, unsure if she’s hallucinating, because he looks the same he always has. He’s in the same booth they always crowded into, in the same position he always took.</p><p>She’s been seeing glimpses of him and the others for weeks now though. She’ll whip around at a glimpse of green only to find leaves in the breeze, or purple to see a balloon. Still, the more she stares, the more she’s convinced it’s him.</p><p>Funny, how after he disappeared, she sees him easier. He used to be invisible to her. Even when he left the team, walked out on them, it was after he had scared her by standing next to her silently for five minutes.</p><p>She knocks on the window, smiling and hoping for the best. This way, at least, she can pretend to have been waving at someone else if someone wants to take a picture of Kise Ryouta losing her marbles.</p><p>His head turns, and his eyes widen just the slightest bit. She smiles wider, and rushes into the small store.</p><p>“Kurokocchi!” she attempts to hug him. God, it feels amazing to see one of them again.</p><p>He scoots further against the window, evading her, “Kise-san.” His tone is neutral. </p><p>“How have you been? How is your grandmother? What have you been up to? Why haven’t you been answering my texts?” she questions, sitting across from him and leaning in.</p><p>He gives her an appraising look before answering, “My grandmother is doing well, thank you for asking.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>She doesn’t know what else to say, but she can’t say nothing. So, she talks about her new modelling job. She rambles until she hears empty slurping, which means he’s finished his shake. He stands up, “I have to leave Kise-san.”</p><p>He’s the only thing she has left. The few times she’s gone over to Momoi, she’s only ever made it as far as the kitchen before hearing Aomine’s voice, or her mother telling her she’s next door. It makes sense. Momoi was Aomine’s first, it’s only fair that he at least gets to keep her. Momoi still texts her, to ask her how modelling is going, to thank her for the goodies, but she misses them all.</p><p>“Do you come here often?”</p><p>“The vanilla shakes are very good.” That’s as close to a yes as she’s going to get.</p><p>“Well,” she laughs airly, the laugh she does when she wants boys to watch the line of her throat and the dimpling of her cheeks, “That’s good to know,” she waves at him, “I’ll be going then. It was nice to see you Kurokocchi. Answer my texts next time!”</p><p>Instead of the mall, she goes home and plans. If all she can get is Kuroko, it’s still better than not having any of them. She’s sure he misses them too.</p><p>So, she goes to the ice cream shop and buys him a vanilla shake and as many refills as he wants. In return, he’ll sigh, but he’ll sit with her and listen to her ramble about everything but basketball.</p><p>She goes to his house when he isn’t there, sweet talks his grandmother into letting her in. It’s never much of a hardship, she loves Kuroko’s grandmother, kind and blunt the way her grandson is. She’ll knock on his door and wait until he opens up, the only time she’s patient. He always lets her in.</p><p>She brings over magazines of herself, movies that she thinks he’ll like, sings silly ditties from the radio and complains about the price of the new skirt she really wants. He always answers her questions, but never answers her texts.</p><p>One day, after three weeks of work, she finally pounces. “Kurokocchi, join me at Kaijou.”</p><p>He looks at her directly with his clear blue eyes, and she realizes it’s the first time he’s done so since she reinserted herself into his life. His blinks slow, and smiles lightly. She’s sure he has him.</p><p>“Kise-san, you know what Akashi-kun said.”</p><p>She pouts, “But, you’re not one of us. People never knew you were there. You quit before he said that rule. He can’t stop you.” She can’t lose the last person she has left. She’s walked away from so many people, but she won’t walk away from him.</p><p>He looks at her, “Does it matter? You know Akashi-kun, he always gets what he wants.”</p><p>“Come to Kaijou with me, Kurokocchi,” she asks again, “Don’t you miss us? Don’t you love me enough?”</p><p>He sighs, “We’ll see.”</p><p>It’s enough of a promise that it makes her smile. That’s progress, and she still has time to get a definite yes.</p><p>The next few weeks she works even harder. She prints copies of photos she took of the seven of them. She prints pamphlets of Kaijou, and every time she visits, she gives him one amongst the pictures, surely just a mistake. She knows how to do this. It’s never overwhelming, and she changes it up. She attaches stories in her rambling, only occasionally mentioning people by name.</p><p>Then she ups the ante. She drags Kuroko out to the beach, to their favorite convenience store. She spends every moment she can figuring out her next move to convince Kuroko to come with her. To stay with her. She tells him she loves every evening before she goes home.</p><p>That summer, she falls in love with this boy. For his gentle smiles, for listening to her and for understanding everything she’s not saying. She knows she loves him, because everyone else is gone, and he’s still here, and she is willing to fight for him when she’s let everyone else go.</p><p>She knows he loves her too, because sometimes he laughs when she remembers a story from their past, or when she fondly imitates Midorima or Aomine. He doesn’t make her cry like he did when he left, and he always opens the door.</p><p>So, she asks again and again, “Come with me. Join me at Kaijou.” <i>Let me keep you. Don’t leave me like you did before. </i></p><p>It’s never a yes, but it gets closer each time. She knows he’s wearing down.</p><p> The little time she has between him and modelling, she spends on the court. She makes sure she’s up on her skills so that when Kuroko joins her at Kaijou, she’ll be a good enough ace for him. He needs a strong light to be the best shadow he can.</p><p>One day, she heads over to his house after a morning of practice on the street courts. The early mornings are the only times she can polish her skills without being harassed. His grandmother is on a trip this week, which means she can spend even more time before heading home, since she won’t have to leave before dinner. For the first time since that day at the shop, noone opens the door. She waits a bit before texting him and heading home.</p><p>She tries again for four more days with no response. She heads to the nearby stores to waste time so she can try again after lunch. He might just be asleep.</p><p>She sees him on her way home, and only because she thinks she sees floating bags before realizing she knows that blue hair. By the size of the bags, he’s been out shopping for a while.</p><p>“Kurokocchi! Why didn’t you tell me you were going shopping? I would have come with!”</p><p>He startles badly, nearly dropping his groceries. “Kise-san.”</p><p>“I could have come help,” she says, her eyes big, “I don’t mind helping, I’ve been spending a lot of time at your house after all.”</p><p>“It’s alright Kise-san. I can do this on my own.”</p><p>She grabs a few of his bags and starts on her way to his house. She hears a sigh behind her, but obedient steps follow. When they get to the house, he opens the door and leads her to the kitchen. She follows his instructions and soon everything is put away.</p><p>She ends up spending the rest of the day there. On her way out, she reminds him to lock the doors behind her, as he’s been careless with his things recently.</p><p>He keeps forgetting to charge his phone a lot.</p><p>The next day, he texts her for the first time in months. She’s so happy at this progress that it doesn’t even occur to her to wonder why. She meets him at the small ice cream shop she first saw him in, sits in that same corner booth.</p><p>She smiles and waves when he comes in, recognizable more by the fact the workers looked scared the door has opened on its own than actually seeing him. She moves the vanilla shake towards him.</p><p>They both sip in silence for a second before she asks, “You never text me Kurokocchi, what’s up?” she’s giddy and she knows it can be heard in her voice.</p><p>“I’m not going to Kaijou, Kise-san.”</p><p>“Kurokocchi…”</p><p>He raises a hand, “Please listen.”</p><p>And she loves him for all the listening he’s been doing, how can she not return the favor? She nods, and sits up straight, ready to listen closely so she can counter whatever is holding him back from joining her at Kaijou.</p><p>“Do you even like basketball at all anymore Kise-san?” is not anywhere on the list of what she expects.</p><p>“I’m on the Kaijou basketball team.”</p><p>“Not yet. You told all of us when the captain said you had to try out, same as everyone else.”</p><p>She waves it away, “That’s a formality. You know how good I am Kurokocchi, it’s no problem for me!” and then she smiles, “It’s no problem for either of us. If I say I won’t join without you, we’ll both be first string, just like before.”</p><p>His expression changes for a moment before he smooths it out. She’s not sure what she said wrong.</p><p>“That’s not an answer Kise-san.”</p><p>“Does it matter?”</p><p>“To me, yes. Kise-san, I love basketball. You used to love it too.”</p><p>“I still do.”</p><p>He shakes his head. All this time she’s been observing him, he’s been observing her too. “You don’t. You refuse to mention it. You talk about last summer, all of us hanging out, but never basketball. You used to talk about it constantly. You and Aomine-kun used to debate about it so long that Midorima and Momoi would have to yell at you to shut up.”</p><p>“So what? I don’t talk about it enough? That’s why you won’t join Kaijou?” she pouts, “Kurokocchi, I plan on playing on the high school team. Who cares if I don’t talk about it. I spent this summer practicing so I could make the team. Don’t my actions prove I still love it?”</p><p>“You don’t,” he says bluntly. “Tell me I’m wrong. You just want me to come with you because you don’t want to be alone. You don’t even like basketball anymore. You don’t believe in it like you used to.”</p><p>“Why would I?” she bursts out. “Noone is a challenge anymore! Aominecchi doesn’t even bother playing anymore unless Suki-chan makes him! We still won first place! What does it matter that I don’t love it? We’re the best of them all Kurokocchi!”</p><p>“It matters because I still love it.”</p><p>“Just come to Kaijou with me,” she says, “You can play basketball with my team. With me. We’ll win together.”</p><p>“Kise-san, stop,” he says quietly. “You say you love me so freely, that you love basketball, but’s it’s not true. You don’t believe in basketball, and after what you just said, I know you don’t believe in me.”</p><p>
  <i>It’s no problem for either of us. If I say I won’t join without you, we’ll both be first string, just like before.</i>
</p><p>“I didn’t mean it like that,” she responds after a moment. “Just that…” she trails off. She did mean it like that. Kuroko isn’t the typical player. He can’t be first string on his own; he has to have someone to bounce off of.</p><p>She knows that he knows when she realizes what she said. He looks at her kindly, but as always, he’s blunt and honest. “I’m not going to Kaijou, Kise-san. I love basketball, and I’m going to make sure you all love it again too.”</p><p>She laughs at him, “How are you going to do that on your own?” she can feel tears welling up.</p><p>He stands up, “I’m going to do it. Now please, Kise-san, enjoy your summer, and good luck at Kaijou. I’ll see you at Interhigh.”</p><p>She sits at that ice cream shop for twenty minutes after he leaves. That’s a dismissal if she’s ever heard one. She creates a new plan. She just has to wait for school to start. He’ll see that there’s noone out there that can beat them, and he’ll realize he’s better off taking what he’s offered. </p><p>She can wait until then. She’ll offer Kaijou to him and he’ll say yes then.</p><p>She’s so sure he’ll say yes that the kind but obvious lack of response to any messaging doesn’t register. She enters that gym sure that now he’s had enough time to see there’s noone that can be his light there.</p><p>She messes with the team a little bit, tells them that Kuroko was her boyfriend, that he could have been whatever he wanted to her, as long as he wanted it. She sees a potential candidate and easily beats him. She wasn’t lying when she said she was the weakest of them, and if he can’t even stand up to her? He has no chance at all.</p><p>Kise reaches out her hand to Kuroko one last time. She loves this boy, and she wants him to be with her. They’ll be friends again, with or without basketball. “Come join me at Kaijou.”</p><p>The entire gym is quiet, watching her. The boy with the split eyebrows is watching them both. Kuroko looks at her with clear blue eyes. <i>Do you love basketball, Kise-san?</i> </p><p><i>You know the answer,</i> she stares back at him.</p><p>“I’ll see you at Interhigh, Kise-san.”</p><p>That evening, when she walks away, she ignores the fluttering fires she felt, back on a court with him, feeling a pass that didn't happen hit her hands. Then the apathy returns, remembering how easy it was to beat Kagami. She did it without Kuroko. </p><p>It’s not worth it to try and be serious about basketball again for him. He doesn’t want her without basketball, he made it clear. She’s not enough like this, and she’s not going to change.</p><p>She’s not going to make the same mistake she’s made for every other sport and try loving it again. But a part of her is definitely going to miss loving Kuroko Tetsuya.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kise doesn’t cross the line to legal stalking, but she obsessively spends time with him and when she’s not with him, she planning on manipulating him so she can be. She’s clinging desperately to him because he’s the nicest of them, and he’ll let her to a certain extent, but it’s in no way healthy. And when he breaks her heart, it is from her perspective and is in actuality the best decision for them both as Teiko has fucked them both over and left them with emotional trauma</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Aomine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He is hope incarnate, and he changes her life twice.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've gone over this again and again in my head, and as much as I love Aokise, this isn't going to be that.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aomine Daiki changes her life on a random Tuesday afternoon. He doesn’t know it, and he never will, but the moment she saw him, teasingly saying, “You’re that model right, Kise Ryouta? Well, sorry, can I have the ball back?” with a huge smile on his face, she was hooked.</p><p>She had just escaped her fanclub, and her old soccer vice captain, walking past the gym so she could escape through the back exit and head home. She hears the “damn it,” and the whoosh she doesn’t at the time know is a basketball, just in time for the orange ball to hit her right in the back of the head.</p><p>She had picked up the ball, debating whether to kick it at the wall in anger over a bad day, or take it into the gym and mess with some boys with her model smile, when the choice is taken out of her hands by the dark skinned basketball player who comes out after it.</p><p>He’s sweaty and a little apologetic, and he smiles the entire short exchange. The thing that catches her eyes though is his hands. His hands are held out for the ball the entire time, and he catches the throw like it doesn’t bother him in the slightest.</p><p>She’s curious, so she slowly follows him to the doorway, and sees him fly past other players. He’s shining under the fluorescent lights, and she knows what she wants to try next.</p><p>That night, she looks into basketball, researches the basics. She looks into the stats of major players, what the stack up looks like in Japan, and even what clothes are needed for the sport. The next morning, she finds out there isn’t a female team at Teikou.</p><p>She was the only girl in the volleyball children’s league when she was five, and the only female when she was ten during soccer training drills at that Kyoto camp. She’s not going to let her gender stop her now.</p><p>So, she memorizes moves from famous players over the next two days, then makes sure to wear her favorite peach lipstick and hair ribbon. She marches into Teikou’s basketball gym, finds the vice captain, and demands to be on the team.</p><p>She meets that blue haired boy again two weeks later when he becomes her official teammate. His name is Aomine Daiki, and he’s a boy blessed by the goddess of basketball.</p><p>He’s also even stupider than her. He has no manners, is rude to all her fans, doesn’t listen or remember, and is the most arrogant ass she’s ever met. But when he holds a basketball, all of that falls away. He’s magic come to life when he’s on the court. They’re all good, these first stringers, but he plays like it’s as easy as breathing. Like without it, he wouldn’t be alive.</p><p>She’s never experienced that in her life. Anything she could visually comprehend, she could do, and usually better than the people teaching her. She’s never lasted long in any sport, and nothing has maintained her eye except for modelling. But she can’t replicate him. She can’t even come close to matching what he does with a basketball, and it’s wonderful.</p><p>She begs him for one-on-one matches nightly, playing until Momoi and Kuroko plead with them both to head home. She doesn’t win a single game, but she also knows she smiles wider than any of them every time.</p><p>There’s more to him than the asshole most people see him as. Her classmates often remark that he stares at their boobs, never answers a teacher’s question, and has only made it this far because his childhood friend is extremely loyal. </p><p>All of which is true.</p><p>Kise also finds out that Aomine loves his sport in a way few ever manage to. It’s a part of his soul, his being. He loves it so much that it spills over into others, and anyone who even likes it is automatically made a friend. Aomine is the first person to treat her to a can of Pocari as congratulations for making first string. He shows her again and again how to play basketball during their one-on-ones. He teases her about her job, but he never tries anything. He slings his arm over her shoulder and knocks their heads together like she’s always been a part of his team.</p><p>He introduces her to Kuroko and Momoi, and she learns that besides basketball, the only other loves he has are these two. He holds them precious and dear. He laughs at them loudly, but also spends all the time he has with them, encouraging them and being their biggest supporters. He doesn’t stand for anyone belittling them, not even her, who has never had a boy look her in the eye and say someone else was more important.</p><p>He shows her it is possible to be passionate about something, to want something so bad you can taste it. He gives her himself with open arms, and just as equally drags her into the small circle of people he truly cares about.</p><p>By the end of second year, her life is divided into Before Aomine, and After Aomine. </p><p>She spends her summer chasing basketballs and laying on concrete next to him until Momoi or Midorima scold them for not drinking enough water. Aomine laughs the loudest at Midorima’s face when she and Momoi come out in their swimsuits, but is also the first to glare at any boys who try to come up to them. He snaps a towel at her because he’s still a child, but she forgives him for that.</p><p>It’s clear to her that she falls in love with his smile. Unlike all the other boys, she might actually have a chance with Aomine if he ever actually tried understand himself beyond basketball. She also knows the chances of him ever loving an actual human being romantically is next to nothing.</p><p>His first love is basketball. His second and third are Satsuki and Tetsu. She’ll count herself lucky as fourth or fifth.</p><p>The last night before third year begins, Aomine and her are playing their fifth one-on-one game in the dying sunlight. At this point, she now owes him the next three popsicles after practice, a full course meal at the family restaurant down the street, and the newest Horikita Mai magazine. It’s not the weirdest thing she’s owed him (once she offered up her first born child, and understanding the implication, Kuroko had choked on his water).</p><p>“Do you think it’ll be different this year?” she asks, her hands resting on her knees between plays.</p><p>He spins the ball on his finger, waiting for her to set up, “What will be different?” he asks.</p><p>“Us, the team. We’ll be seniors this year. No Nijimuracchi. We’ll be looking at high schools.”</p><p>“Nah,” he shrugs, “Akashi will work us just as hard, Tetsu’ll puke just as much, and the other bastards will be as weird as usual.”</p><p>“Aominecchi!” she laughs, “That’s not what I meant!”</p><p>“Hurry up and make sense then,” he narrows his eyes at her, “Are you stalling so you won’t have to pay up?”</p><p>Kise grins and launches herself at him, snagging the ball, “Nope!” he shouts inarticulately at her, but she’s already halfway down the court. She makes the easy layup, “I was being serious. But getting a basket was a nice bonus.”</p><p>She turns to look at him. The sun is directly behind him, making him stand out in sharp relief. He looks larger than life. He smiles that smiles at her, the one she saw from the doorway of the gym last year, where he’s having so much fun it spills out onto his face, into his body language.</p><p>“Who cares? You’ll have Satsuki to gossip with, Tetsu to squeal like girls over, and I guess you’ll still have your face.”</p><p>“Be serious!” she pouts.</p><p>His smile turns tender, and it softens his entire face, which is just beginning to lose all it’s baby fat. She used to be able to look down at him, but over the summer, he shot up. All her boys did.</p><p>He steals the ball back from her as she’s shading her eyes with her right hand. “Doesn’t matter what’s different. You’ll have basketball and you have us. What else do you need?”</p><p>Her heart skips a beat at the answer. She’s never had someone cut to the core of it before, what she’s really afraid of. Falling into that loneliness and apathy again. She returns his smile, chasing after him back up the court.</p><p>By the time they get through half of third year, her life is firmly divided into three sections: Before Basketball, After Basketball, and After Aomine.</p><p>She didn’t protect him, and a part of her looks back on it and will always regret not preparing him for what happens when you become too good at something. That boy who was blessed by the goddess of basketball was instead cursed, the same way she was. It just took longer for an idiot like him to reach the same end she has seen again and again. She had just really believed that Aomine’s love and passion would save him from the pain.</p><p>He stops coming to practice. At first, she thinks he’s really sick, because he once showed up to afternoon practice with a hundred degree fever. Then, it happens a week in a row, and Momoi finally tells her in hushed whisper that Aomine just hangs out on the roof, waiting for her to be done so they can leave together.</p><p>So, her and Kuroko come up with a plan. They take him out for food, basketball magazines, even shoes. The following month, she watches Kuroko leave practice, never once looking any of them in the eye.</p><p>It’s when he misses a game that she realizes that Aomine’s really gone. The person who gave her basketball no longer believes in it. He won’t listen to Momoi, who no longer cheekily refers to him as ‘Dai-chan’, or Kuroko, who he now calls by last name. </p><p>She decides it’s her turn, even when everyone on the team tells her it’s not worth it to try; that they don’t need him to win anyways. But, she knows she has to try and save him from her own worst fears.</p><p>Kise does what she does best: she annoys him into paying attention to her. She bribes and cries and blackmails him into getting her way. She gets him to play one match with her, and he obliterates her.</p><p>She is sitting on the pavement stunned, looking up at him. The sun is setting, and against it, his shadow is long and foreboding.</p><p>“You’re just as pathetic as Kuroko.”</p><p>She stares at him, her eyes wide, “Is that what you said to him? Aominecchi, please tell me you didn’t say that to your best friend?” she yells at him.</p><p>“He is!” he shouts back, not bothering to give her a hand up, “So are you Kise! You guys should quit, it’s not like you’re any good, why try?” he sneers.</p><p>“Then, let me practice! I’ll beat you one day!”</p><p>“The only one who can beat me is me.”</p><p>She watches him walk away, and that’s the last time she sees him until Akashi calls them together before graduation to tell them where to go to high school.</p><p>He makes her cry seeing the pure abject nothingness on his face after he beat her. She’d already stopped loving him at that point after he stopped going to games. That last match between them though, haunts her in a way little else has.</p><p>Aomine Daiki changed her life on a warm Tuesday afternoon, and again on a brisk Thursday evening. He’s not her first love, or her most passionate, or even the longest lasting. </p><p>He is, however, the first boy who ever manages to break her heart twice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aomine and Kise have a special relationship. Even if I choose not to make it romantic, it's profound in a way the others just aren't.<br/>Aomine comes into Kise's life at a time when nothing matters. It's similar to Kuroko and Kagami in that sense: one who loves basketball and one who just wants to survive what they've gone through but hopes for better.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Kagami</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Her heart has been broken over and over by now, but still she tries again.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There's one more surprise chapter after this</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her heart has been broken five times when she meets Kuroko’s best chance at redemption. The sixth time happens that very same evening.</p>
<p>When she meets Kagami, she thinks nothing of him. He drops even lower in her mind when he takes one look at her hair ribbon, short school skirt, and the gaggle of boys vying for her attention and smirks.</p>
<p>There have always been smirking boys and rude assholes who believe she isn’t worth the cost of her shoes because of her gender. She has always stood tall and never not been victorious against them, but this is the first time in two years that she has had to face a smirk like that alone. Worse, she faces that smirking face as Kuroko stands on his side of the line.</p>
<p>She feels zero remorse in showing off and humiliating him. She knows she has to destroy this early on to save him the pain of prolonging it and creating hope.</p>
<p>She thinks she’s done it, but then at the practice match, he wins. In such a short amount of time, he improves to that point that he beats her. She takes a second look at him, where he is sweating buckets and celebrating. He comes over to shake her hand, “Good game. You’re really good.”</p>
<p>There’s no sneer, no looking down at her, attempting to flirt with her because now he’s shown her he’s a man. Nothing. She quietly reassesses.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” and to Kuroko, she nods her head and says, “Watch out next time!” with cheer that only he knows is false.</p>
<p>She underestimated him, but next time she won’t make that mistake.</p>
<p>That same evening, she plays on the same team as him. Three-on-five, against bullies who think their age allows them to act like kings.</p>
<p>She sees Kuroko pass to the split eyebrows boy, and just for a second, his hair is blue and his skin much tanner. He smiles like he’s having the time of his life even though she can tell these kids aren't a challenge for him whatsoever.</p>
<p>Her heart aches ferociously. </p>
<p>She gives Kuroko a look, like, <i>Why would you do this again? Haven’t you learned from the last time?</i> But receives nothing from him in return. That alone says everything.</p>
<p>Kise walks away from them both, laughing and saying out loud that she looks forward to their next practice match, smiling at Kagami Taiga. When she turns away, she drops the act. Kuroko is going to destroy himself for this boy, who will only fizzle out. </p>
<p>So she plans and she watches. She gets Kasamatsu and her manager to give her the time she needs to go to their matches. She analyzes him, and discovers three things:</p>
<p>1) He’s an idiot. Even more than her. Like, one hundred percent, a total moron that can’t do anything when he’s not on the court, including when sitting at the bench.<br/>2) He’s created a fast friendship with this team, and with Kuroko. It’s obvious in the way they move that they trust each other.<br/>3) He loves basketball, utterly and unerringly.</p>
<p>She walks out of the corner of the balcony she’s hiding in. She waits until she’s out on the street, and laughs so loud people turn to stare. She lifts her head back and wipes a tear from her left eye.</p>
<p>
  <i>Kurokocchi lost Aominecchi, so he went and found himself another, an exact replica.</i>
</p>
<p>They’re going to crash and burn,</p>
<p>But, a part of her heart attached itself to him during those secret outings. Momoi and Kuroko weren’t the only ones who lost Aomine. She did too. Watching Kagami smile and move like that felt like being in that doorway again, knowing she was watching magic come to life.</p>
<p>Her heart swells, just the tiniest bit. A reaction to a boy who reminds her of better days, and gives her the tiniest bit of hope, that maybe <i>they can do this</i>. But her head knows better. Just because they beat her doesn’t mean he has a hope of beating the others.</p>
<p>She promises herself she’s not going to do this. She’s not going to make the mistake of loving another basketball prodigy, another idiot who’s only going to break her heart. She’s going to listen to her head this time. She’s sixteen. She’s almost an adult. She knows better.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>She was right to listen to her head, and she’s glad she thought to protect her heart this time. Six heartbreaks do that to a girl. Kagami wins against Midorima and then faces Aomine.</p>
<p>He is destroyed, just like she predicted he would be. She hears from Momoi that Kagami and Kuroko are no longer speaking and she knew this would happen. A part of her wants to find Kuroko and try again to drag him to Kaijo. It would be easy now, with his new light uncaring and the team unknowing of Kuroko’s history, of the damage he has undergone.</p>
<p>But she’s almost an adult. She knows better. Her head tells her to be a good friend. She finds the same street court they beat those kids at, all those weeks ago, and she waits. She knows the change she’s seen in herself and in Midorima, the fire to win lighting up again, for payback on the court. She knows what Kuroko is trying to do now. She set out to save him, and if he can no longer do it, she has to fight for him.</p>
<p>All basketball idiots are the same after all, and she knows Aomine. She knows Kagami, and eventually, that boy is going to find his way back to basketball. She just needs to make sure he finds his way back to Kuroko.</p>
<p>He shows up four days after their bitter defeat, a basketball in his hands. He’s looking at his shoes as he walks, so she clears her throat. He looks at her like he wants to run away. </p>
<p>She smiles, “One-on-one?” she offers.</p>
<p>They play three games. She feels him out the first, seeing him start to perk up, but she beats him easily the next two matches.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” she demands, “This isn’t the same person I played last time.”</p>
<p>“What does it matter? It’s not like anyone can beat Ahomine.”</p>
<p>He sits on the bench, leaning against the wire fence. She leans over him, basketball in her hand. “Did Kurokocchi tell you about us miracles?” she asks.</p>
<p>“Yes. How Aomine became an amazing player and then got bored because you all were too good.”</p>
<p>“Did he tell you about why I joined basketball?”</p>
<p>“He mentioned you saw them playing and decided to try out.”</p>
<p>She smiles, remembering that warm Tuesday afternoon, “Actually, Aominecchi hit me in the back of the head with a basketball.”</p>
<p>That startles an ugly snort out of Kagami, “Are you serious? How did that get you on the team?”</p>
<p>“I watched Aominecchi play,” she sighs, “It was like watching magic. He played like it was the only reason he was alive,” she looks at Kagami seriously, “like you do.”</p>
<p>Before he can say anything, she continues, “Aominecchi and Kurokocchi love basketball Kagamicchi. The way you do. Like people rarely do. With everything they have, and it’s a part of everything they do.”</p>
<p>“He’s an asshole. And Kuroko and I aren’t friends anymore.”</p>
<p>She throws the basketball at him hard, catching him in the gut. “Kurokocchi needs you. And you need him. Don’t be a baby. You’re going to get better. I don’t know if it’ll be enough to win against a monster like Aominecchi, but you’re going to try.”</p>
<p>“Why should I work with him again? It’s not working anymore.”</p>
<p>“Because you love basketball,” Kise says, picking up her bag,”and despite what you say out loud, you’re not going to let Kuroko stop loving it either.”</p>
<p>Her piece said, she smiles, “Of course, do what you want! Just remember, Kurokocchi was mine and Suki-chan’s before he was yours. And if your team doesn’t treat him right, we’ll just take him, and then you’ll really have nothing.”</p>
<p>She leaves him spluttering, and she giggles all the way home. That night in bed, she realizes that she’s hopeful. They might actually just make it.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>A month later, she faces Aomine in Interhigh and uses everything she can against him. She lets tears drop when he looks at her and there’s nothing in his eyes. She manipulates him into fouling her multiple times and copies every move he makes.</p>
<p>She matches him move for move and it’s still not enough. Her legs give out on the court, and a part of her wants Aomine to pick her up, to hold her up like he did that one time she rolled her ankle while walking in heels, rushing to meet him at a street court. The other part is relieved he turned away and let her team do it instead.</p>
<p>She doesn’t let them see her cry, not wanting them to panic, because they’re bad with girls on a good day. That evening in the locker room, she cries bitter tears, but when she exits, Momoi and Kuroko are both waiting for her. Kagami is off to the side looking supremely uncomfortable. The last time they spoke, she had scolded him for nearly quitting on Kuroko.</p>
<p>She hugs Momoi tight and lets them fuss over her before getting on the bus that will take her back to the ocean. Out the window, Kagami and Kuroko stand, watching. She looks Kagami directly in the eye, her head high. <i>Learn from this, and do better. Do what we couldn’t.</i></p>
<p>*</p>
<p>She doesn’t see anyone again until the Winter Cup, at which point her leg has healed. She thinks about Kagami and Kuroko almost every day, and takes whatever scraps of information she can get.</p>
<p>But she still stands on Akashi’s side of the line when Kagami shows up to meet them. She knew to expect him, that he wasn’t going to leave Kuroko’s side after last time, but a part of her still sighs internally at his stupidity.</p>
<p>After the incident ends, Kagami asks her, “How’s your leg?”</p>
<p>“It’s just fine, Kagamicchi! Why, do you want to check it yourself?” she teases, unable to help herself from playing around. She knows better than anyone that a good mind game helps win a physical one. She’s not above giving herself every advantage she can.</p>
<p>He turns red, and unfortunately, she gets scolded by Midorima. Kagami is definitely adorable when he blushes though.</p>
<p>The games finally start, and she watches Kagami and Kuroko beat Touou. Beat Aomine. She nearly cries right there. They did it. They did what Kuroko, and her, and Momoi have been hoping for since the middle of third year.</p>
<p>Kise watches Aomine light up on fire at the loss. It’s immediate, and incredible. It’s like looking at that boy blessed again, sparking with energy. She silently thanks Kagami with her whole heart, like she shows Momoi is doing too. Then, he goes on to beat Murasakibara, who had rivaled Aomine in his apathy.</p>
<p>Murasakibara cries at the end, tasting defeat for the first time.</p>
<p>Her heart beats her head out this time. It’s impossible not to love Kagami for saving them. She goes to her own matches feeling like she’s on fire herself, warmed by the possibility of seeing all her friends again, happy and hoping like they used to be.</p>
<p>The fire lasts her all the way through her match with Haizaki Shougo, who is just as nasty and underhanded as always. Kasamatsu almost causes a fight on the court. After, Aomine and Momoi come pick her up from the locker room. </p>
<p>When she sees Aomine’s profile leaning against the wall, she thanks Kagami again silently, for bringing back the boy she knew.</p>
<p>She loses to Kagami again, but it reminds her so much of middle school. She’s going to beat Kagami and Aomine someday. She feels her excitement only rise, and she hasn’t felt it like this since middle school.</p>
<p>Kuroko beats Akashi.</p>
<p>Kagami and Kuroko just beat Akashi and the last vestiges of the pedestal fall away. All the fear and anger and apathy are gone from her, gone from all their faces, and she knows he’s a miracle. He’s a miracle in a way they aren’t, in truth and not just in name.</p>
<p>Kagami Taiga saved them, and more importantly, he saved Kuroko. She claps louder than anyone else in the stadium when they receive their medals.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>On Kuroko’s birthday, they meet up at a basketball court. They spend the day, just the seven of them, playing basketball. It’s like they never stopped. She jumps on Murasakibara’s back before leaning over to kiss Midorima’s nose when he tries to scold her. He turns bright red and yells louder.</p>
<p>Aomine challenges her to a one-on-one, and she chases him around the court when everyone else is catching their breath. Her, Momoi, and Akashi play on a team when Kuroko is taking a break and win, thanks to the others having no leadership. It’s the brightest she’s ever seen Akashi smile, seeing the two of them hugging and cheering.</p>
<p>When they head over to Kagami’s apartment with Kuroko, and get pulled into a party, it’s the best thing she’s ever seen. Kagami made a bunch of food, and he’s sitting next to Kuroko, quietly chatting among the noise.</p>
<p>She comes up behind him and grabs at him, circling her arms as far as she can to trap his arms. He squawks and tries to dislodge her, only for half his team to glare at him. He’s getting a hug from a nationally renowned model after all.</p>
<p>“The food is great Kagamicchi! Kuroko, you’re so lucky you get to eat like this all the time!”</p>
<p>“Yes, I am. Kise-san, please release him, he’s choking,” Kuroko replies drily.</p>
<p>She squeezes extra tight, trying to convey all the things she’s feeling that she hasn’t said aloud. Kuroko seems to understand because he doesn’t repeat his instructions. She lets go and stands up to walk away.</p>
<p>Kagami grabs her arm, and she looks at him. He looks back at her, and very softly says, “You’re welcome.” She knows he understands too.</p>
<p>
  <i>Thank you for saving them and me. For giving Kuroko back his friends. Thank you for making all the heartbreak worth it when we got here.</i>
</p>
<p>She knows he’s not going to fall in love with her. None of them ever do. But for once, it doesn’t break her heart. He doesn’t love her, but he gave her something better. He gave her back herself, and for that, she’ll love him as long as he’ll let her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This isn’t just a story about a teenage girl dealing with heartbreak. It’s about her learning self love. All the people she loves are forms of fleeting, unhappy loves.</p>
<p>Midorima was first love; Murasakibara was a representation of infatuation--loving someone without really loving them, the initially stages of love; Akashi was a form of idolatry--extreme love without regard to their flaws; Kuroko--her being unable to love someone positively, and instead clinging almost obsessively to someone who didn’t want her to; Aomine--all of the above tbh.</p>
<p>Her loving Kagami on the other hand is her falling in love with him as a form of hero worship; loving someone because you view them as having saved you or loved ones. Unlike the others, she recognizes this, and internalizes what Kagami did for her, turning it into self love.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. (++1) Momoi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The tragic thing, Momoi thought dramatically, was that Kise hadn't loved one-sidedly. But what Momoi could do is at least let her know the truth.</p>
<p>And if the results are hilarious, well, that's just a bonus.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a lighthearted chapter because I wanted more Momoi.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She stares at the scene before her. Murasakibara is lifting two kids to the hoop while Himuro is scolding him about being careful. Midorima is chasing Takao and a little girl carrying a stuffed animal, which is probably his lucky item for the day. Akashi and Kuroko are talking in a corner suspiciously devoid of children. There are several children standing around, cheering on Aomine and Kagami, who are facing off, even though they’re supposed to be teaching the kids how to play.</p>
<p>There’s sunshine and a warm breeze that gently runs through her hair. She’s sipping on her water bottle, forced to sit down by her senpai after Kuroko ratted her out about not resting her leg. She knows she’s staring, but she can’t look away.</p>
<p>She’s watching Kagami make it past Aomine when Momoi sits next to her. She gently nudges her before smiling softly. She looks back out at the chaos, “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” she says. Momoi is always careful, not wanting to sound too soft in case Aomine makes fun of her, but with Kise, it’s always been a chance for them both to be themselves, two girls in a world of boys and basketball.</p>
<p>“I missed you Suki-chan,” Kise admits.</p>
<p>They never stopped speaking, even when Kise stopped liking Aomine, stopped liking basketball, stopped liking herself. But Momoi understands what she means, because she holds her hand and interlaces their fingers, “I missed you too Ryo-chan.”</p>
<p>Momoi’s smile then turns mischievous, and that makes Kise nervous. She knows things about her that sometimes Kise herself doesn’t know. “I noticed you’ve been staring at one boy in particular…” she leads off, glancing obviously at Kagami.</p>
<p>“Suki-chan,” she says scandalized, and overplaying a little, “I have not!”</p>
<p>“What would all your fans think, you falling in love with a basketball idiot with split eyebrows?” Momoi teases.</p>
<p>“Hey, not so loud! I’m not in love with him, don’t start rumors!”</p>
<p>It’s not a lie. She does love him, but she’s not in love with him. Not entirely, and not like before. Her heart isn’t the same it was then. It carries scars and weight that she has since learned from. </p>
<p>“Liar,” Momoi says softly, “You think I didn’t know when you were in love?” she asks.</p>
<p>Kise looks at her suspiciously, so Momoi responds, “Fine, you aren’t in love with Kagamin, but you were in love with all our boys.”</p>
<p>“You loved Midorin first. It didn’t last long, but it didn’t hurt long either. You loved Dai-chan next, then Mukkun and Akashi-kun at the same time.” </p>
<p>“You stopped loving Mukkun first, when he tried to leave practice, then Dai-chan when he broke your heart after your one-on-one. You didn’t stop loving Akashi-kun, not entirely, until Winter Cup, when he made you stand on the steps with everyone. You loved him the longest because he tried to hold us together, but it hurt the most.”</p>
<p>She then turns shrewd, “You didn’t fall in love with Tetsu-kun until after third year. I’m not sure when, but I know that’s around when we stopped talking in person. You stopped loving him shortly before your first match with him this past year.”</p>
<p>“Am I wrong?” she asks, looking at Kise, whose jaw only isn’t wide open by sheer force. She mutely nods, “How?” she questions.</p>
<p>“I’m the manager, best there is. I know you, just like I know them,” Momoi leans in close, “and they fell in love with you too.”</p>
<p>Kise blushes red. “Stop it Suki-chan, I know they didn’t like me that way. I’m not mad at them for it, it’s just the way it is.”</p>
<p>“No, it’s true. It was just bad timing,” Momoi explained, “Mukkun loved you first. You gave him food and that was about all it took. But he let you lean on him and gave you piggyback rides because of it. I think that’s about as good as it gets with him.” She glances at Himuro, “Well, at least that <i>was</i> all it took.”</p>
<p>“Midorin loved you second. After the second time you went to see his sister I think. But I saw it physically fade when he saw your test scores after midterms.”</p>
<p>Kise groaned in embarrassment. Momoi giggled, “Yeah, it’s pretty funny.”</p>
<p>“After that was Akashi-kun.”</p>
<p>“Even Akashicchi?” Kise asks startled. “Now I know you’re messing with me.”</p>
<p>“Just listen. I noticed it after he bumped Haizaki,” she held up a hand when Kise opened her mouth, “No, he didn’t get rid of Haizaki because he liked you like that. It’s like he really noticed you when he realized just how much potential you had. I personally think he liked you because you weren’t afraid to use mind games to get ahead, and he found it attractive.”</p>
<p>“Please stop,” Kise asked politely. She had liked Akashi, but in hindsight, she’s so glad they missed each other, that wouldn’t have ended well.</p>
<p>“He stopped liking you between second and third year I think. Around when you had that big modelling campaign.”</p>
<p>Kise smiles at that, “Why do you think that’s what did it?”</p>
<p>“Because that’s when he realized you could leave anytime you wanted,” Momoi says seriously, “You didn’t need to be tied to him.” Then she grins, “But after Akashi-kun stopped, Dai-chan finally figured out he liked you. It was glorious.”</p>
<p>Kise laughed, “Oh no, what did he do?” she looks over at Aomine, who’s still fighting with Kagami.</p>
<p>“It was after that game you had where you tossed the final basket. It was third year and he was already starting to hate basketball. That night, when we were walking home, he was talking about how you had looked like the goddess of basketball on the court, with your fist held high. Then he rambled about your eyes, hair, and smile for two minutes before his brain caught up with his mouth and he threatened me with a frog so I wouldn’t say anything to you.”</p>
<p>Kise laughed so hard there tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Momoi can see that it caught the attention of Akashi and Kuroko.</p>
<p>“Sometimes I wish one of you had said something, maybe it would have changed something.”</p>
<p>“It could have made it worse Suki-chan.”</p>
<p>“That’s true. He stopped loving you that night he came back from your last one-on-one. He looked me in the eye and told me you weren’t worth his time. I think I slapped him.”</p>
<p>“Well, thank you for supporting me Suki-chan,” Kise says cheerfully.</p>
<p>While Momoi has Kise’s attention, she quietly says, “Tetsu-kun loved you after Dai-chan.”</p>
<p>“Suki-chan,” Kise says, “I’m so sorry. I never meant to like him like that. I would never, not to you.”</p>
<p>“No, it’s not your fault,” she smiles, “I knew the moment you came into practice and told him you were sorry you couldn’t help Dai-chan. He looked at you like you were the only thing keeping him steady. I don’t think he realized until after he disappeared though, and I think he broke his own heart to protect himself.”</p>
<p>Kise holds Momoi’s hand again, “I’m still sorry. You deserved better from all of us.”</p>
<p>“So did you Ryo-chan.” She looks out at the dozens of boys, “I’m glad we have better now.”</p>
<p>“Oi, Kise, why aren’t you helping clean up? Why do you get to sit around?” Aomine’s voice forces them out of the bubble they were in.</p>
<p>“Why, you jealous Suki-chan gets to spend all this time with me? I know how much you like my hair and my smile,” she smiles wide, watching Aomine’s face tighten in rage.</p>
<p>“Satsuki!” he yells, “You told her?”</p>
<p>She shrugs unrepentantly, “Payback for the last year and a half you put me through.”</p>
<p>“Stop yelling, it’s unbecoming,” Midorima states, pushing at Aomine. He looks disgruntled and Takao is snickering behind him. “Momoi-san, you were supposed to keep an eye on my lucky item.”</p>
<p>“Sorry Midorin, I went to get more water and it was gone. I saw that little girl had it, but Takao-kun was with her, so I assumed it was alright.”</p>
<p>His glasses glint dangerously. “Takao…”</p>
<p>But before he can make a move towards the shorter boy, Kagami blocks his way, “Hey, are we playing a game or not? The last of the kids are gone.”</p>
<p>Kise looks around, and he’s right. The kids are gone, and it’s marginally quieter. Aomine gestures at her, “Get up! Let’s go, I want to beat Bakagami another time before we leave.”</p>
<p>“Another time? You didn’t beat me the first time!”</p>
<p>“Taiga, stop yelling. Seriously, there are ladies present.” Himuro comes over, followed by Murasakibara. He tilts his head and leans forward, his hand outstretched, “Would you like help getting up?”</p>
<p>“What a gentleman,” Kise flutters her lashes excessively, playing up the fragile girl angle, “That would be so lovely, thank you,” she purposefully grips his arm tight, letting herself fall into his chest.</p>
<p>He chuckles delightedly, “You have such a strong grip for such a beautiful girl.”</p>
<p>Before she can continue flirting, Akashi steps in, “If you’re quite done playing games, Kise,” he raises an eyebrow at her pout.</p>
<p>“Aw, Akashicchi,” she blinks at him, and then gestures at Himuro, “look at him.”</p>
<p>All of the miracles look at her judgmentally while Kagami makes gagging noises in the background. </p>
<p>She raises her head up, ready to make a fake scene. She’s in a good mood and that’s when it’s best to mess with people, “Well, I’m so deprived,” she says airily, “It’s not like any of you ever told me when you liked me.”</p>
<p>All five boys simultaneously react, ranging from silently blushing to making wide gestures as if to ward off her suggestions. Takao bursts out laughing, “Shin-chan, you had a crush? Did you spontaneously combust?”</p>
<p>“I’m surprised to hear Atsushi had the ability to like someone like that,” Himuro admits.</p>
<p>Imayoshi, who was hovering close by, eavesdropping, butts in, “So, even our little first year is human huh?” he pinches Aomine’s face like he’s five, “Was she your first crush? Our little baby, growing up so fast.”</p>
<p>“Even you Kuroko?” Kagami looks down at his partner, who is staring at Momoi. He looks very betrayed.</p>
<p>“I don’t like you like that anymore Tetsu-kun. I feel no guilt in telling her.”</p>
<p>“Wow, Sei-chan, you liked her?”</p>
<p>“What a lovely girl! Of course he would!”</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you confess?”</p>
<p>“Was he shy?”</p>
<p>“Our Sei-chan, shy? How adorable!”</p>
<p>Kise starts laughing uproariously. This is the best revenge she could have ever hoped for. They broke her heart, and even if it’s healed now, this level of mass embarrassment is absolutely wonderful.</p>
<p>She’s still bent over when Kasamatsu pulls on her ponytail. “Senpai, it hurts!” she protests.</p>
<p>“Then sit down! Either rest your leg or go home! Stop making my job harder!” he scolds her. But he and Moriyama also stand on either side of her.</p>
<p>She realizes they’re trying to protect her from five boys they just found out liked her. She doesn’t need it, not from these boys, but the sentiment is still extremely sweet.</p>
<p>Momoi speaks up as the laughter dies down, “It’s a shame all of you are stupid, it’s not like it was one-sided.” </p>
<p>“Suki-chan!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that's a wrap.</p>
<p>I think I liked this enough that I may begin a series, but as my vacation comes to a close, updates will be much more sporadic. Let me know if there's anything specific you would like to see from Fem!Kise (unless it's sex, bc I can't write that, I have no idea how I would go about that).</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I realize Midorima wouldn’t want to be popular, but Kise is 12/13 and a little self absorbed and spoiled. While she is insightful sometimes, she largely assumes that all people want to be as extroverted as her; so when she makes Midorima popular, she thinks she’s helping him make friends. She doesn’t understand that he’s an introvert by nature.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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